Proteoglycans are macromolecules present in all connective tissues. The basic structural pattern of a proteoglycan molecule, in which a core protein may be linked to several polysaccharide chains, imparts a functional diversity which is further accentuated by the difference in the structures of various polysaccharide components. Currently, our knowledge about the role of the structure of the proteoglycans in relation to the conformation, and the role of the conformation in relation to the biological function, is somewhat rudimentary. The current investigation is aimed at filling some of the gaps in our knowledge of the structure-conformation and conformation-function relationships of the proteoglycans. These investigations will be carried out at the level of oligosaccharides and peptides. Some of these will be synthesized while others will be obtained from naturally occurring proteoglycans by enzymatic and chemical degradation. The principal experimental technique that will be employed is high-field NMR spectroscopy. A wide variety of NMR methods, conformational energy calculations and molecular modelling studies will be employed during the course of this investigation.